Automatic releasing-coupling



E. J. SOLOMON.

AUTOM'ATIC RELEASING COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JAN-25,19).

1,391,422. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

UNITED srATEs PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR .I; soLomoN, or PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB "r0 AVERY'COMPANY, 0;

- ,PEQRIA, ILLINoIsn CORPORATION or ILLINOIS. 7

AUTOMATIC 'RELEASINQ-GOUPLIIIQ.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR J. SOLOMON, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Releasing-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to couplers, and relates more particularly to an automatic releasing couplerfor use in attaching a farm implement to a tractor..

I The invention has for its principal object, to provide a coupler forattaching animplement to a tractor, which embodies in its structures, means for automatically uncoupling the coupler to release the implement from the tractor when the pressure is such that breakage of the implements, or parts thereof is obvious. I I

In the art of couplers for attaching farm implements to tractors, so far as I am aware,

the couplers have been ofsuch a construction, that when an obstacle is encountered by-the ground engaging elements of the implement, such as to retard the forward movement of the implement, the pull exerted by the t'raotoris such, thatunless the coupler gives, as is not often the case, the implement must and, therefore, breakage of the ground engaging elements results.

My invention obviates this difliculty, and the coupler is so constructed that the coupling element is yieldingly held in operative position, until the pressure reaches a point which is greater than the pressure exerted by the means for yieldingly, holding the coupling sitions;

element, when said yielding means may be automatically released to permit the implement to become detached from the tractor,

and breakage thereby obviated.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the present description, in which:

Figure 1 Ba part'al top plan view of the rear' platform of a tractor, showing--my improved'coupling mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the coupler proper, with a covering plate removed and the coupling element shown in different po- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 20, 1921 Application filed January 25, 1919. Serial No. 273,103.

. I Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig.2, and

Fig. 4 shows a pin for changing the coupling from an automatic releasing coupler to a non-yielding coupling.

Like characters of reference ,denote corresponding parts throughout the 'figures.

Ina rather diagrammatic way, in Fig. 1, I show the rear platform. of a tractor,.the samecomprising the frame A, the axle B, ground wheels C, and the cross-bars D and E of the frame, thelatter being provided with the spaced holes F, for purposes to be explained. J I

The coupler proper comprises a draw-bar, including-a pair of elongated plates or bars 1 and 2, the same being spaced apart only a suflicient distance to permit working therebetween, preferably the cast steel latch 3 and said plates orbars 1 and 2 are held together and 2 are each provided with the similarly shaped slots 6, leading thereinto from the ends, and so arranged to permit a link or equivalent device, not shown, attached to the implement to enter the same, when the tractor is backed up to the implement, and be engaged by the coupler element for attaching the implement to the tractor.

The coupler element is preferably, a cast steel latch, designated 7 and preferably hav ing the shape seen in Fig. 2. The latch, as shown, has the hook 8 and an inclined front wall 9, terminating in an eye 10 to which may be connected any suitable element by means of which an operator may manually release the element 7. Normally the hook 8 of the element 7 lies across the slots 6 in the bars or plates 1 and 2, and therebetween, as seen in Fig. 3. The element 7 has a pivotal relation with a roller bearing 10 entering and operating in a slot 11, in said element 7, and adapted to roll on the cam-shaped wall 12 of said slot. The hook 8 of the element 7 merges into a wall of the said element which lever 20 fulcrumed on a pin 21 secured in the plates 1 and 2 and to said lever is coupleda stem 22 disposed transversely-to a linedrawn longitudinally of the plates or bars 1 and 2 and on said stem is a compression spring 23 which bears between one edge wall of the plates or bars 1 and 2 and a disk or plate on the end of the-stem held in place by the nuts 24: which may be employed to compress and store power in the spring 23.

In Fig. 1 the inner ends of-the bars 1 and 2 are shown coupled at'G to the cross-bar D of the frame, preferably coincident with the axleB, although this point may be moved forward, if it is deemed desirable. Thecoupling end of the bars '1' and 2 project out and beyond the rear cross-bar E of the frame, preferably in manner seen in Fig.1 1 and if side draftis to be obviated, the bars 1 and 2 may be thrown over at an angle and'held by a coupling pin passed throughanv one of the holes F, in said'rear cross-bar ll], aswill be understood.

Assuming the parts of the coupler to be in the position shown in fulllines, in "Fig; 2, as the tractor is backed up to an implement, the coupling linkor equivalent device, not shownfwill enter the slots 6, rideunder the hooked end 8 of coupler element 7 which, will couple the link to the drawbar. Assuming also that as the tractor draws the implement over the field,'the ground engaging elements of the implement engage obstructions which they cannot surmount. Ordinarily, if the coupler cannot release itself, and before the operator can discover the danger, his imple-. Jment becomes damaged. With my device,

however, the pull will continue until the pressure reaches a point which is greater than the pressure exerted by the spring 23, when the coupler element 7 releases itself from the couplingmember on the implement,

permitting the tractor to pull away from the implement without damage. This is accomplished as follows:- As thepressure on the hooked end '8 of the coupler element 7 in creases, the inclined wall 13 willride up on the roller bearing 16, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, c'ausing'the cam-like wall 15 toforce the lever 20 outwardly against the tension in the spring 23. This throw is permitted by the peculiar shape of the-wall 12 of the slot 11 which rides on the'roller bearing 10. Instantlyfupon the pressure beingreleased from the hookedends 8 the spring will pull theleVer QO back into its normal posltion and it willforce the-coupler element 7 into its normal position, shown in full lines, Fig. 2. r

Using the'hioles 18 in the draw-bar, and

inserting the pin 19 therethrough, the operator provides a permanent lock for the coupler element 7 and prevents the automatic in combination, a draw-bar having a longitudinal slot leading thereinto from oneend,

" a coupler element fulcrumed on said drawbar and having a hooked-end normally lying across the slot 1n sa1d bar, and meansfor yieldlngly holding said coupler element, 1n

its operative position and capable of giving under extreme pressure'to permit the coupler element to automaticall-y disengage it- 7 self from a member coupled thereto, and

to automatically return immediately thereafter to its normal position.

' 2'. In a coupler of the character-described,

in combination, a draw-barha'ving a slotted end, a coupler element fulcrumed on said bar, the fulcrum point on said element adapted to change under varying conditions ofload a hook on the'end of said element normally lying 'across-theslotin said bar, a

bearing member on said baron which the coupler element willride under varyin-g con- 'ditions of load, and meansfor yiel'dingly holding saidcoupler element inits operative position and capable of giving under extreme pressure 'to permit 'the couplerelement to automatically disengage itself from a'mem'bercoupled'thereto.-

3. In acoupler of the character described,

in combination, a drawbar having alongitudinal slot leading theremte from one "end, a coupler element fulcrumed-on sa1d drawbar and having a hooked-end normally lying across the slot in saidbar', a lever fulcrumed on sa1d 'bar, its free 'end- 'bearlng against said coupler element at p'oln'tsremote fromfsaid hooked-end, andme'an's for yieldingly holding said lever' 'againstjsaid coupler element; 1 y r 4; In a coupler of the'clraracterdescribed, in combination, a draw-bar"ha'x' ing a longitudinal slot leading-thereinto from one end, a coupler element fulcrume'd on, said" draw bar and'having a hooked-end norma'lly lying across the slot in "said bar,theful crum for said element including a slotted opening in the'elem e'nt with a cam-likefwalh -and a roller bearing on'said'ba'r operatin gs'aid slotted opening, one wall ofsaid element having an inclined portion merging-into a shoulder, and terminating in a cam-like s'urface, aroller bearing on the bar 'onwhich the inclined portion off the element -may ride,a lever fulcrumedin'saidbar andbearing against saidxcam-like surface on; said element, and "means for yi'e'ldingly holdingthe lever i11 o erative-engagementwith said element." 4 V r 5. Ina coupler ofthe character described, in combination, a draw-bar having alongitudinal recess in one end thereof, acoup'l'er bar movable bodily longitudinally and laterally and having a hooked-end normally lying across the recess in said bar, means to hold the coupler bar in predetermined paths during movement including a yield-. ing device normally pressing laterally upon said coupler bar. V I

6. In a coupler of the character described, in combination, a draW-bar'having a longi tudinal recess in one end thereof, a coupler bar slidable bodily longitudinally and laterally, fixed guides on the draw-bar, one to move the front end and the other tomove the rear end through predetermined lateral paths, and an adjustable yielding pressure device normally bearing laterally against the inner end of said coupler bar.

intermediate cam shoulder, and means on the draw bar adapted to engage With said cam shoulder and guide slot to compel the coupler bar to move through predetermined paths, and a lateral pressure device normally bearing against one endof said 0011-. pler bar.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this 20th day of January, 1919.

EDGAR J. SOLOMON. [L. s] 

